Social Media Workshop Challenges-Rewards

National Garden Clubs, Inc. Social Media Committee

SPARK ACTION- Building a Strong Social Media

INFORMATION loop

Social Media Engagement

helps recruit new members

retain members

Very Expedient way to quickly inform, interact, and show pride in your Garden Club network. Payoff is long-term benefits for both members and the local community that is serves.

What to do Now?

Recommended: 1.State Facebook page 2.Group and/or Club, Facebook pages 3.Instagram (fun, easy, + it tracks to FB) 4.Refresh your State website-think it as a store window, would you want to shop there? *Twitter, OK but low traction within GC’s now.

Social MediaPlatforms Q. I have/we have-Facebook, do I/WE need Instagram? Instagram is easier in some ways. Posts are visual-photo driven, but video too. Advantage is when you post on Instagram you can select to share on Facebook/Twitter. For a garden group, we have lots of wonderful images at all times, so to get traction from “followers” that is what they are called instead of ”friends”, it is easy. Instead of “likes” you click on the heart. Instagram is popular with younger users too for they are more about images, less words. Again, it’s offering exposure on multiple SM platforms. It also creates an opportunity for many members of a communication team to take turns to post and express themselves. All Smartphones have “destination” options for photos, including Facebook and Instagram. That means you can do fast uploads to the site keeping you and or your GC network, “fresh”.

Challenges Too much to do

Too few volunteers Restrictive budgets

Solution CREATE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

TASKS: a) Posting: 1) Variety of Information, including photographs 2) Events: Club, District, and State calendars, most dates are known in advance, so they can be ready to time-release, on Facebook.

FB-allows multiple editors/administrators to post or edit. Instagram: Create an account with easy to recognize, name. Share the Instagram user ID/password for team access.

Organize…to stay ahead CREATE FOLDERS

photos+ subfolders for

categoriesEvents:

new/archive SAVE: Interest from FB/Instagram,

Pinterest, other

MISC

KEY ingredient to

POSTING ON ANY SM platform-

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

or Pinterest

CAN YOU GUESS?

Telling a GOOD Story…

photos

inspirationusing facts

Connecting Effectively on Social Media think of it as…

A REWARDING VISIT… that is eye pleasing,

hopefully educational, always, a fulfilling “landing”

POSTING OVERVIEW

a) 3 sentences rule, please try b) add a hyperlink if you want visitor to learn more about your post c) material “challenged”? Share NGC posts-Fresh daily! d) Personalize your posts, a chance to share your State, clubs’, uniqueness. These digital connections often lead to in-person friendships!

Sourcing material to postMany outlets…

Posting Activities/Facts Go-to’s: Google, Google Images, NEWS Headlines, Green Nonprofits, local “Experts”, Universities, etc. Endless Topics: horticulture, ornithology, arboriculture, landscape design, floral design, conservation and so much more.

TOP EASY “GO TO’S” Celebrating Your Achievements

Your Community Projects State, Districts, Clubs, some examples: *community gardens, *holiday decorating, *youth/community education, *garden therapy

“celebrating” achievements…

Meetings, Special Anniversaries,

Installations, Memorials…

State and club pages.. Share PERSONAL STORIES of your Garden Community’s special individuals

Winner, C.A.R. Perennial Bloom Award 2015

for example: Connie Stuntz,

Ayr Hill GC, member for 67 yrs

shown with her scrapbook that

holds fond memories of

flower shows, programs, and the club’s special events

EventS-GET TractionFacebook has an event template. EASY to USE. Upload your facts: who, what, where, when, and any artwork/photos. You can also invite your FB friends and, share it on any FB page. You can do it in advance and select when to release it.

Examples: Plant Sales Meetings

Flower Shows Lectures Trips

Yes FB

has a

tutor

ial

THE STAR OF EVERY POST…

PHOTOS-

DRIVE “LIKES” and COMMENTS

GUARANTEED!

Your PHOTOs should “TALK” First glance, it draws one in.

*You can crop the size of the image,

*Control the lighting-saturation and contract.

Multiple photos from an event:

1)create an album (edit out the ones not so great),

2) slide show

3)video - FB has some fun software..and it does it for you!

Instagram also lets you combine multiple images for one post.

\

Most photos today are taken with our own smartphones, where editing software is built-in. No excuse to not “share the shot” .

You can upload to Facebook or Instagram in literally seconds.

Easy to learn, many tutorials online; YOUTUBE is good, or your smartphone user guide.

An important edit tool.. is cropping

Cherie Lejeune, 1st VP of National Capital Area, enjoyed meeting at NGC’s Richmond Convention’,

the special Keynote Speaker, P. Allen Smith.

YOUR PHOTO DESCRIPTION

Please remember the 3 sentence rule. For a posed group picture, identify the individuals.

If people you know are in a casual shot and you are identifying their activity or location, not critical.

So, How did I do?

PHOTO USE: IMPORTANT Rules * “In-house”: yours/ GC images, OK. *Facebook: PRIVACY STATUS: PUBLIC (look for globe symbol); OK to share. *Google Images/other search banks: If watermarked: STOCK, a fee for use, NO. *Google Images, “page” link for photo’s source. If no “credit line” ask, OK. *Educational institutions/nonprofits, if using their “story”, courtesy to credit. *Children: parental permission required.

Editing: DO-OVERSWish you didn’t post so quickly due to grammar

or even misidentifying someone or thing? DON’T WORRY

1) Facebook: next to your post on the upper right, see an inverted V

2) click on it and a drop down menu appearsChoose, EDIT POST Make your changes and hit SAVE Change or add photos by hitting the (X), right hand corner of image (deletes it). To add, see camera icon,lower left. Upload. You can edit even after people have “LIKED” or made a comment.

3) Instagram: TO EDIT: see three … upper right corner-you can only edit your image or words BEFORE HEARTS (their “like”) or comments.

EXTRA’S: Linking Platforms -MORE-

You can connect Facebook and Twitter to your Instagram account-every Instagram post has a SHARE feature-select both, just one, or none, your choice.

Linking your multi-platforms, time saver.

You can connect Facebook to Twitter-go to Facebook settings, add. It then automatically posts every time.

If your FB page was created as a nonprofit, you can add a DONATE button to your pages for Projects where you seek $$ or materials.

FB “Call to Action” allows you to post an EVENT (even in advance, time release), and, you can use it to sell products.

Don’t want public “all eyes”? Create a Facebook GROUP instead. Approval required of each member, once members, they can add others. Group admin required.

EXTRA’s-DATADATA, Do your posts get traction?

Facebook provides administrators, editors stats weekly, here are the top ones:

a) REACH-is the #’s of visitors who “saw” the post b) “LIKES” and Comments-this is real visitor time,-every visitor see’s this data also. A good comment usually begets more. c) SHARES-Social Media GOLD, your information gets ripple effect… Great tool. If you are an admin/edit for your whole GC network, always try and share to all your pages to increase maximum “eyes on”. d) Instagram: the more Instagram promotes

Admin/editor’s see this graph in the INSIGHT TAB

with all of this feedback..

Shows new followers gained. NGC goal:10,000 end of 2017.

HELP US ACHIEVE THAT!

THE BIG EXTRA: Facebook LIVEWith your SMARTPHONE..anywhere, anytime

You can SHARE AN EVENT, destination, activity The footage is archived on FB - can share it anytime.

Giving back to the Garden Club community by streaming LIVE, is a smart bonus. Again, the “how to” , find easy instructions on FB.

LAST ADVICE

Frequency of posting, depends on your TEAM. Each STATE, DISTRICT, and CLUB, will find their rhythm. However, if posts, are 2 months old or 2 months apart…

that’s a signal, and not a good one. Check your website too, is your calendar last years?

Are your “recent” photos now 3 years old? Set your goals, for social media, an example for STATE, 1x week.

Website, get a webmaster and a backup in place, refresh at least yearly.

FINDING YOUR “Experts”a.k.a. Frequent SM Users,

is closer than you think!

A Communications TEAM will provide sustainable progress. Keeping everyone in the loop for your events and NEWS,

will results in positive connections, new member potential, and pride.

SO..

Workshops

Facetime

EMAIL, CALLS

produced by Cherie Lejeune editors: Phyllis White, Social Media Chair email: gardens@bresnan.net and President Nancy Hargroves Our SM committee of 11 members, are here to support you.

Thank You..